San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-13
WEDNESDAY. JULY 10. 1887.
TOO LATE FOR THE TRAIL.

The cattlemen OF Texas are at the
mercy Of the railroads. and will be I'M
until they enter largely into the work Of
refrigeration and ship their cattle as
dressed meat. Other expedisnts may
be tried, and these may afford tempo
rary relief, but they cannot give perma-
nent redress. The drive on foot cannot
be depended upon. 1t costs too much.
Costs too much in time, In the wear and
tear OF flesh, in the liability to disease,
in the difficulty OF preventing specula-
tors from bearing the market where
large quantities of cattle are put upon
1t In a lump; and then, every year closes
some the practicable trails and
leaves the driver without the means of
reaching market The states crossed
by trails interpose their quarantine re-
stricIions and an embargo is placed
upon the transist OF Texas cattle, shut
ting them up for weeks, and sometimes
for months, en- route to places OF ship
ment and fairly impoverishing those
who make the attempt. Even with
every consideration possible, granted by
the railway companies, the long
haul from this section of
the state to st. Louis and Chicago
is decidedly against the ship
per. The necessity of loading and I'M
loading for the purpose of feeding and
watering ; the heats and dusts Of summer
and the frosts and winds of winter the
excessive muscular and nervous strain
upon the cattle, all tend to increase the
cost OF carriage and diminish weight.
The better condition the cattle are in on
leaving the ranch the more terribly does
the journey tell upon them relatively in
the loss of flesh, and the rsncher finds his
returns most unsatisfactory. Should his
shipments reach the great cattle mart on
falling market, he cannot afford to feed
and wait the slow operations Of an adj
vance in the face % all efforts to keep
prices down and force Il sale. 1t is onIya
question of time when all trails will be
closed to southern cattlemen, and the all
rail route will be the only means OfreaOh-
Ing market. Before the lowest ebb OF
business is reached it would be we'll for
cattlemen to consider how very material
ly their interests might be advanced
by entering into combinations for re-
frigeration, and put their product upon
the market not only in the smallest pos
sible bulk but In such condition as to
render shipments by sea as practicable
as by rail, and thus open the markets OF
Europe as well as those of america for
the disposition of their herds The
solution of this question is only by way
of the refrigeration system. 1t will
have to be adopted sooner or later, and
II profitable in ten years from date why
not secure the advantages of the scheme
now, and save so much from the gripping
fists Of the cattle brokers of the north
and east. Texas has been agitated over
this question for months. There has
been sufficient talk over the situation
and 1t is thoroughly understood. San
Antonio affords the best natural advan-
tages for locating such an establishment
that are TO be found in the state. She
has abundant capital to put the plant
upon its feet. Her railroad connections
are constantly multiplying and bringing
her into rail communicated with all
sections OF the south and west and east
and north. Her ocean outlook is good.
The location of extensive stock yards
here is only question OF months. Ma
ture intended these two things to grow
together-stock yards and meat refrig-
GRAFTON. The trail is closed, the haul is
too long for cattle on hoof, the condi-
tions are improving for fsttening cattle
here in Texas and every consideration
OF economy, profit, and home develop
ment points to the establishment OF a
large meat refrigerator in this city as
the solution Of the question OF profitable
cattle and sheep raising in southern
Texas for years to come.